Spike jumped up and backwards pulling Buffy with him just as the ground below where she had been standing gurgled. She frowned turning in Spike’s arms, “Um, I don’t think we are in Kansas anymore…”
Spike chuckled but then glanced around as he wondered out loud, “I definitely don’t think we are in Sunnydale anymore…”
Spike held onto Buffy’s hand as he ventured around. They seemed to be deep in the woods somewhere. It was definitely dark luckily for Spike although he had a feeling this was more like an alternate dimension than anything else. He whispered out loud, “Open the door to the world which no one can see…”
Buffy blinked as she turned towards Spike, “What?”
Spike repeated it, “Open the door to the world which no one can see. It was the inscription on the ball I stupidly translated. I imagine that means we are in an alternate universe. What that means, I’m not sure.”
Buffy sighed as she looked around registering nothing on her radar other than Spike’s tingles. She was at least grateful for that. It didn’t appear to be a vampire dimension if nothing else. She whispered to Spike, “Should we explore? Should we stay in one place? Do you think Willow and Tara will realize what happened?”
Spike shook his head admitting “Actually, I think we should wander around to see if we can find our own way around here. No one will even notice we are missing until morning and that’s only if they assume you aren’t sleeping in before work. It might be almost a full day before anyone looks for us, luv. Come on, let’s get a look around.”
Buffy nodded and clung tightly to Spike’s arm as they ventured through the woods. There were noises all around them and once in a while a glimpse of movement would be seen in the distance from afar. Buffy for once in her life felt deathly afraid. Spike might be able to live through a lot, but she couldn’t. She had died before and will again but she didn’t want it to be in some stupid silver ball. She walked carefully behind Spike only bumping into him once in a while. She stayed absolutely quiet hoping that they would find something to show them the way out.
Spike felt Buffy’s heartbeat race and knew that meant she was afraid. He was uncertain himself as to where they had found themselves. His eyesight was strong even in the darkness thanks to vampire senses but he knew Buffy’s were straining at best. He felt the rain start to fall and knew if she stayed out here in the cold, she would be sick and he’d really have his hands full. He picked up the pace racing through the trees with his eyes scanning for some kind of shelter. He spotted a hollowed out tree and paused in front of it gesturing for Buffy to go inside.
She shook her head violently refusing, “Not unless you can fit.”
Spike swore loudly yanking her arm in frustration as he started running through the woods again. Buffy kept up feeling her outfit grow wetter and wetter as she followed him blinding through the trees unable to make anything out minus the few steps in front of her. Finally Spike spotted a cave. He pulled Buffy towards it gesturing for her to wait while he checked it out. He wrapped his leather coat around her shoulders placing her against a tree for safety.
Buffy stood just inside the entrance peering through the dark, and then she raced into the dark as she heard growling. She realized too late she couldn’t even see the fight much less help as she was smashed into by something knocking her hard against the side of the cave knocking her out. Spike roared loudly, “Buffy!” but then focused on killing the second of the two bears.
He had killed the bigger bear making the smaller mate very angry. He wiped at the blood that was running into his eyes as he kicked the bear as hard as he could making it collapse in a pile. He then jumped on its back only to be thrown off and into the wall. He stood up ignoring the pain in his ribs as he staggered towards the bear throwing a few punches in its face barely managing to duck as the bear swiped at him again. He felt the claws gently breeze his shoulder and knew it would be a few scrapes there but still he fought hard knowing he must win. He leaped into the air swinging around throwing a hard kick towards the bear again making it slid backwards against the cave wall, which is exactly where Spike wanted it. He threw a few punches knocking the bear against the wall until it collapsed.
He wasn’t sure if it was knocked out or dead and didn’t want to risk it waking up even more angry so he climbed onto its back. Carefully but swiftly he twisted its neck and then did the same to the first before rushing to Buffy’s side. He lifted Buffy into his arms looking over her body noticing she had a huge gash on her head and a few gashes from its other paw across her stomach. He sighed leaning down to seal the wounds resisting the temptation to actually take some blood from her knowing he was bleeding and losing a good bit of blood.
Instead he did the unthinkable, setting Buffy down and sunk his teeth into the bigger of the two bears and drained it dry for nourishment. He knew Buffy would need something too so he needed to build a fire. He also had to find a way to keep her warm and leaving her sit shivering in her wet clothes wasn’t helping matters. He grew concerned looking at her shaking form realizing it was necessary for him to find a way to get her out of her wet clothes and to build a fire to dry them by morning.
Glancing around the cave, he noticed it was empty minus the two dead bear bodies and Buffy. Sighing, he knew the wood would be wet outside so he would have to venture around hoping to find another some dry pieces somewhere. Luckily, within minutes, he found some places where various plants had protected the wood making it a little less wet and found some smaller trees growing in hollowed out trees. After spending several minutes wandering around, collecting what he could find, he returned to the cave with a huge handful of wood and started to set up a fire.
He failed lighting it the first time that he tried with his lighter but the second time it took lit filling the cave with the warm glow of a homemade fire. He quickly striped the clothes off Buffy laying them near the fire but not too close as to catch on fire while he removed his own. When they were finally both naked, he pulled the shivering Buffy into his arms rubbing his hands up and down her arms and pulled his duster around them both settling down for the night. She opened her eyes grimacing slightly as she whispered, “Spike?”
Spike whispered against her ear trying to calm her down, “I’m here. I’ve got you. Just sleep Buffy. We need our rest for tomorrow.”
Buffy nodded and snuggled in closer allowing Spike to arrange the duster around them both as he closed his eyes. He hoped she would be ok and as he felt her body stop its violent quivering, he realized she had fallen into a deep sleep already that he hoped would provide healing to her wounds. He could feel the blood he had taken earlier starting to fix his wounds as he relaxed. It was late and it was obvious that they weren’t going to be going home anytime soon so he hugged her closer allowing sleep to come to him as well hoping the morning brought better news.
Buffy woke up feeling warm and safe even with the chilled air around her. She smiled realizing it was the first night they had spent snuggling in each other’s arms long enough to wake up together. She had been so afraid of what feelings this would bring and how much she would have to open her heart to allow such a thing. She had never in any of her relationships ever woke up being held by someone. Whenever she had spent the night, it was always side-by-side, no touching, no holding and definitely no snuggling. It was without a doubt a new feeling but nice and certainly something she could easily get used to.
She sat up a little then groaned lying back as her head still swam with pain. She felt the back of her head and heard Spike whisper, “You were knocked around quite a bit last night. You were bleeding quite nicely when I got to you. I had to kill the sodding bears to save you before I could even see the damage they did to you. I sealed the wounds though. You should be well on your way to healing.”
Buffy smiled, “Thanks” as she struggled to stand up. She got to her feet and then frowned, “Um, I’m naked.”
Spike chuckled, “Rain storm remember? You were drenched and I didn’t want you getting sick since we still have no idea where we are.”
He stood up ignoring the fact he was naked and gracefully walked over to where their clothes laid out now dry. He picked them up handing them to Buffy who took them with a slight smile and quickly dressed. He dressed as well frowning deeply as he heard her stomach growl. He sighed knowing the bears he killed last night wouldn’t help at all since they were now spoiled. He whispered, “Pet, we will get your some food soon, I promise. I fed from the bears I killed last night.”
Buffy looked surprised until she noticed the huge bears in the corner where he had piled them. She sighed as she felt the back of her head, “So that’s what got me.”
Spike nodded, “We should move. There has to be something in this world that lets us get back. It’s a world that no one can see, which means it’s still our world. At least I think that’s how it works. If not I don’t want to bloody know.”
Buffy had no idea but accepted his hand as they walked out of the cave together as he swung his duster around himself. She pushed him back into the cave as the sunlight beamed down then frantically checked over him for burns. He grinned as he brought his hand out into the sunlight stating, “Cool. Alternate dimension luv. Sunlight doesn’t kill! This is bloody awesome!”
He raced past her turning around in a circle as the sunlight beams flitted over his skin. She smiled as she stepped out into the sunlight with him only to be picked up and spun around happily. Both were so lost in laughter they didn’t notice the growling behind them until both were knocked to the ground by a big horned beast.
Buffy and Spike both jumped up and Spike whipped out his pocketknife as Buffy grabbed a large stick and the two leaped into battle. Spike kicked and swiped at the horned large beast with claws for feet and teeth that reminded him of a boar. Wherever they were, it was not their normal run of the mill animals for sure but they still had to fight it to survive. Buffy used her stick to hit it backwards allowing Spike to jump on it only to be kicked off by the beast’s claws. Buffy dove into action beating the beast back with her stick until Spike jumped in slashing the beast’s neck.
He glanced towards Buffy and Buffy shrugged as he picked up the body that was now dead dragging it back into their cave. He quickly restocked the fire with Buffy’s help and less than 30 minutes later, Buffy was enjoying a sort of ham tasting meat while Spike was enjoying a cup of warmed blood. Now they were ready to start their journey.